Accomplishing a significant milestone, the Ghanaian Parliament passed the Narcotics Control Commission Amendment Bill 2023 on Wednesday, July 12th.
The newly enacted law grants the Minister for the Interior, Ambrose Dery, the authority to issue licenses for the cultivation of cannabis, commonly known as "wee," for industrial and medicinal purposes within the country.
This decision comes in the wake of a recent ruling by the Supreme Court that invalidated provisions in the Narcotic Control Commission Act, which previously allowed the cultivation of specific types of cannabis for industrial and medicinal applications. The court argued that these provisions conflicted with Article 106 of the 1992 Constitution.
Despite an appeal lodged by the Office of the Attorney-General, the Supreme Court ultimately dismissed the review application by a narrow margin of 5-4.
Consequently, the amendment bill was introduced to address the legal inconsistencies and provide a framework for the regulated cultivation of cannabis.
Throughout the parliamentary debates on the amendment bill, Members of Parliament emphasized the significance of cultivating certain varieties of cannabis. The discussions highlighted the potential benefits of cannabis cultivation for both industrial and medicinal sectors in Ghana.